Monday, March 14, 2011

Benidorm

Benidorm is such an odd little place that I felt it deserved a small write up. On the opposite end of the L9 Alicante tram line from Dénia, the best way to describe Benidorm is as a Monty Python sketch (of hell). It's a beautiful place with a fantastic beach, but when look beyond your beautiful natural surroundings...

Benedorm is where the British come to play, get away from harsh English winters and show off their tattoos . It is also where they retire. If you don't want to feel old, go to Benidorm. The paseo along the beach is a great people watching spot. There are too many English pubs to count, a few very cheesy "American" bars, usually with some dude doing bad covers of Jimmy Buffet, and a McDonalds next door to the Burger King. Every night from 4 to 9pm there is a "nice" restaurant on the paseo where a small orchestra plays and the retirees dress in their suits and evening wear for some dinner and dancing... often times, they get bad lines that aren't quite sing-able... it is quite a scene. Benidorm Palace is the major entertainment venue and tourist trap.

Benidorm is not all bad... in fact, it can make for a very fun day or weekend. We found the Amsteleria, a nice little bar with your own personal beer tap on your table. Have a seat, grab a mug and fill up. The digital read out on the tap counts the amount of beer you pour. Have a pint or two, a tapa or two and pay on your way out. Benedorm also has "El Payaso" Bar... The Clown. We just had to stop in. It just opened and the owners, a couple from Holland, were very friendly offering us a tapa and free shot of caramel vodka to go along with our pint. The gems in Benidorm are in plain sight, but hard to see amidst the high rises and crowds. If you go, bring a sense of humor and a lot of patience... Think County Fair, Orlando and Branson mixed together, served with mash and a side of mushy peas.